Plans to use Reading Prison as a training ground for armed police have been suddenly shelved.

Thames Valley Police has authorised firearms officers who use a range of weapons, which includes tasers, air weapons, pistols and automatic rifles.

Currently, officers receive weapons training and hone their firing skills at the Thames Valley Police Training Centre in Sulhamstead, West Berkshire.

A shortlived plan would have seen officers use Reading Prison for scenario and walkthrough training.

The scenario training would have involved hands-on sessions with the weapons in the police arsenal. These activities would have taken place in the gatehouse, administration building and amenities building on the site. 

Meanwhile, the walkthrough training involves tutors going through scenarios with students, which would have occurred within four prison wings (A-D).

A planning agent for the force explained: "The use of the buildings provides additional variety and opportunities to experience ‘real world’ scenarios for students.

"Training sessions would operate typically once or twice a week with a maximum of 14 students and six firearms instructors per day."

Lessons would have taken place between 8am and 4pm and only take place on weekdays.

The planning agent also clarified that the weapons used would only have blank rounds in them with no live ammunition used.

Additionally, none of the kit and equipment would have been stored at the prison, with all equipment being returned to secure storage at Sulhamstead at the end of each training day.

However, the plan has been withdrawn following discussions with the owners of the site, The Ziran Education Foundation.

A spokesperson for Thames Valley Police, said: “The application made by the Force has been withdrawn at the request of the owners who wish to concentrate on their plans for the site.”

You can view the withdrawn application by typing reference PL/24/1222 into the council's planning portal.

Notice of the news was given on Tuesday, October 8.

The police were hoping to use the Prison site for five years, until the foundation had finalised its plans for the site.

The Ziran Education Foundation was named as the purchasing company of the Prison by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) in January this year.

The company was selected as the purchaser by ministers from the previous Conservative government, which stated that the MoJ had raised £105 million through the sale of former prison sites nationwide since 2014.

This year was the 10th anniversary of the death of Aston McLean Williams, who was being pursued by armed officers on suspicion of burglary.

An inquest into his death detailed how an officer chasing him on foot pepper sprayed him. Shortly afterwards, he was run over by an armed police car.

Mr McLean Williams died aged 27 on August 6, 2014.